Apparatus for cleaning boiler tubes



1934': F. J. STEUTERMANN 1,941,513

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING BOILER TUBES Filed March 7, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1934- F. J. STEUTERMANN 1,941,513

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING BOILER TUBES Filed March '7, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Jae? Patented Jan. 2, 1934 UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE 1,941,513 APrARA'rUs FOR CLEANING BOILER TUBES Francis J. Steuterniann, Webster, Mass. Application March 7, 1932. Serial Bro/597,134

6 Claims. (01. 122-'-391) This invention relatesto apparatus for cleaning the smoke tubes or fines of a steam bo-iler by directing a steam jet therethrough.

It is the general object of my invention to improve such cleaning apparatus as heretofore known in many important respects, making the same more convenient and effective in use and more readily adapted to different arrangements of boiler tubes.

To the attainment of this object, I provide an improved offset swiveled nozzle by which a jet of steam may be more directly injected-into the outlying smoke flues. a 1

I also provide improved devices for firmly sup- 15 lporting the nozzle while permitting universal adjustment thereof, and for protecting the operator from any possible injury by escaping steam.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be herein- 0: after described and more particularly pointed ou in the appended claims. v

A preferred form of the inventionis shown in the drawings, in which a Fig. 1 is a partial rearelevation of a boiler and setting having my invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation, looking in the direction of the arrow 2 in Fig. 1, and

Fig.5 is an enlarged sectional view of the cleaning apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, I have shown a portion of a boiler B of the horizontal return tubular type and having a plurality of smoke fiues or tubes T. extending lengthwise thereof. The boiler is shown as mounted in the usual brick setting and as having a backwall W with an opening formed therein. This opening 10 is preferably so placed that it is substantially aligned with the center of allocation of the tubes T, both vertically and horizontally.

The opening 10 is shown as rectangular in its outer portion and as being inwardly enlarged by the provision of inclined top, bottom and side wall surfaces 11. Any suitable cover plate (not shown) may be provided for closing the opening 10 during the normal operation of the boiler.

My improved tube cleaning apparatus includes a main steam line (Figs. 1 and 2) extended toprovide a drip pipe 16 and provided with upper and lower shut-01f valves 17 and 18. The steam and with an external annular flange 23. A sleeve line 15 may be rigidly secured to the rear face of Y 25 is rotatably mounted on the tubular member 20-and is provided with an internal annular shoulder 26, resting on the flange 23 and preventing downward movement of the sleeve 25 relative to the tubular member 20.

Upper and lower packings 27 and 28 are inserted between the end portions of the sleeve 25 and the outer wall of thetubular member 20, these packin'gs being secured and held in place by packing rings 29 and caps 30. The caps 30 are threaded on the ends of the sleeve 25 and are provided with clamping ears 31 which may be drawn together by suitable clamping screws to firmly retain the caps in adjusted position. The sleeve 25 is provided with an enlarged recessed portion 33, with which the ports 22 communicate.

A tubular arm 40 is threaded into one side wall of the enlarged recessed portion 33 of the sleeve 25, and at its outer end supports an L -shaped tubular member 42. The horizontal (5 portion 44 of the member 42 is rotatably mounted at the outer end of the arm 40 and has suitable provision for making a steam-tight joint therewith.

A short tube 46 is rotatably secured to the lower end of the L-shaped member 42, with similar provision for securing a steam-tight joint. The tube 46 is threaded into the side wall of the enlarged middle portion 47 of a steam header 48.

A bushing 50 is rotatably mounted in the header 48 and is provided with ports 51 and with an external annular flange 52 engaging an internal shoulder 53 of the header 48. The header is providedwith packings 54 and 55, packing rings 56; and clamping caps 57, all substantially as previously described with respect to the sleeve 25. The enlarged middle portion 47 of the header 48 contains. a steam space 60 through which steam passes from the tube 46 to the ports 51 and bushing 50.

A nozzle 62 is secured at the open end of the bushing 50 and the outer end 63 of the nozzle 62 is offset but preferably disposed substantially parallel to the axis of the bushing 50, as shown inFig. 2. The opposite end of the bushing 50 is closed, as indicated at 65 (Fig. 3) and is provided with a handle 66 and cross rods 67.

A shut-off valve 70 (Fig- 1) is provided in the tubular arm 40, and a link '71 connects a collar 72 on the main steam line 15 with an outer end "portion of the arm 40,.thus largely sustaining the weight of the parts depending from the outer' my improved boiler tube cleaner, the use and advantages thereof will be readily apparent.

By moving the bushing 50 and nozzle 52 angularly about the axis of the bushing 50 in the 5 header 48, the end portion 63 of the nozzle may be raised or lowered or swung from side to side into approximate alignment with the outlying boiler tubes. The end portion 63 of the nozzle may also be raised or lowered by swinging the L-shaped member 42 about the axis of the arm 40 and the nozzle may be moved from side to side by swinging the header 48 and tube 46 about the axis of the depending portion of the L-shaped member 42.

I am thus able to bring the end portion 63 of the nozzle into substantial alignment with each of the boiler tubes T and to deliver steam in a substantially axial direction thereto. By reason of this construction, my improved apparatus is much more effective than certain prior apparatus in which steam was necessarily delivered at a substantial oblique angle to all but the centrally located tubes. The cleaning effect of a steam jet delivered axially is much superior to 257 that of a steam jet delivered obliquely.

When using the apparatus, the nozzle may be conveniently raised or lowered or moved sidewise by the handle 66 and may be turned about the axis of the bushing 50 by use of the cross rods 67. When it is proposed to use the device, the drip valve 18 and steam valve 17 are opened to blow the condensate out of the connections, after which the valve 18 is closed and the valve 70 is opened, thus conducting the steam direct to the nozzle 62.

The provision of the external annular flange J 26 is of considerable importance, as it protects the operator from the escape of steam in substantial volume, even if the packing at the lower end of the sleeve should become loosened. The provision of the flange 52 on the bushing prevents any possible rearward movement of the bushing 50 in the header 48. The provision of the solid end portion also protects the operator, as it is impossible for steam to blow out through the rear end of the bushing 50.

' My improved cleaning apparatus has been found very effective in practice and by its use a set of boiler tubes may be quickly and easily cleaned. Furthermore the operator is able to watch the progress of the work through the opening 10 and to guide the movements of the nozzle end 63 into any desired tube.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:-

1. Apparatus for cleaning boiler tubes comprising a main steam line, a tubular arm mounted to swing in a plane prependicular to the axis of said main steam line and having a continuous steam connection therewith, an L-shaped tubular member mounted to swing about the axis of said tubular arm, a steam header mounted to swing on the outer end portion of said L- shaped member in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said outer end portion, a bushing rotatable in said header and having a continuous steam connection therewith, and a nozzle for said bushing having an offset end portion adaptm" ed to be inserted in a selected boiler tube.

2. Apparatus for cleaning boiler tubes comprising a main steam line, a tubular arm mounted to swing in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said main steam line and having a continuous steam connection therewith, an L-shaped tubular member mounted to swing about the axis of said tubular arm, a steam header mounted to swing on the outer end portion of said L-shaped member in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said outer end portion, a bushing rotatable in said header and having a continuous steam connection therewith, said bushing having an axial steam passage closed at one end, and a nozzle secured at the outer open end of said bushing and steam passage and having an outer end portion adapted to be inserted in a selected boiler tube.

3. Apparatus for cleaning boiler tubes comprising a main steam line, a tubular arm mounted to swing in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said main steam line and having a continuous steam connection therewith, an L-shaped tubular member mounted to swing about the axis of said tubular arm, a steam header mounted to swing on the outer end portion of said L-shaped member in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said outer end portion, a bushing rotatable in said header and having a continuous steam connection therewith, said bushing having an axial steam passage closed at one end, a nozzle secured to the outer open end, of said bushing and steam passage, and an axially extended handle secured to the closed end of said bushing.

4. Apparatus for cleaning boiler tubes comprising a main steam line, a tubular arm mounted to swing in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said main steam line and having a continuous steam connection therewith, an L-shaped tubular member mounted to swing about the axis of said tubular arm, a steam header mounted to swing on the outer end portion of said L shaped member in a plane perpendicular to the axis of said outer end portion, a bushing rotatable in said header and having a continuous steam connection therewith, said bushing having an axial steam passage closed at one end, a nozzle secured to the outer open end of said 1 bushing and steam passage, and an axially extended handle secured to the closed end of said bushing and provided with cross rods by which said bushing and nozzle may be turned manually.

5. In an apparatus for cleaning boiler tubes, a main steam line having an externally flanged tubular member therein, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said member and having an internal shoulder engaging said annular flange, and packing devices for both ends of said sleeve, said sleeve having an enlarged annular recess therein and said tubular member having ports,continuously connected with said recess.

6. In a boiler tube cleaning apparatus, a swiveled steam header, 2. bushing rotatably mounted therein and having ports continuously open to said header, and a nozzle mounted at the front end of said bushing, said header having an integral internal annular flange therein, and said bushing having an integral external annular flange thereon positioned to engage the face of said internal flange which is nearer said nozzle when said parts are assembled, said associated flanges thereby positively preventing any axial movement of said bushing in said header by which said nozzle will be caused to axially approach said header.

FRANCIS J. STEUTERMANN. 

